What to send ahead
Book via contact and send your instrumental or backing track at least two working days before the session. Use a lossless format (WAV or AIFF) at your project sample rate, preferably without a limiter on the mix. Include tempo (BPM), key and structure (intro, verse, chorus) in a short note or email.
Several songs? Say which one comes first. A finished demo track is priced at €180; extra arrangement or multiple lead passes may need a longer block. As a rule of thumb, allow about three to four studio hours for one solo song with backing, including setup and comping.
The week before
Your voice is not an on/off switch. Avoid back-to-back gigs, shouting in noisy bars or hours of singing along in the car. If you rehearse heavily, use short blocks with breaks instead of one marathon.
Lock the lyrics. Rewriting in the booth burns takes and focus. Print lyrics or use a tablet with large type, mark breaths and awkward vowels. Know every entry and exit on the beat. For speech, read aloud and flag words you stumble on; for singing, hum softly and note where your voice catches.
The day before
Sleep beats every hack. A short night shows up in pitch, stamina and patience — yours and the engineer’s. Limit alcohol; it dries mucous membranes. Very spicy or heavy meals can cause reflux overnight, which you feel immediately on mic.
Pack your bag: lyrics, charged phone, headphones if you use your own, water and optionally non-menthol throat lozenges. Check travel and arrival: The studio address is on Columbusplein in Amsterdam-West. Trams 13 and 14 stop at Columbusplein; from there it is about a three-minute walk. By bike you can use the racks along the square in front of the entrance. We are open Monday to Friday 10:00–22:00, Saturday 10:00–18:00. Closed on Sunday.; arriving ten minutes early beats rushing in.
On session day
Drink room-temperature water through the day, not only right before recording. Vocal fold hydration takes time. Many singers skip dairy and nuts in the hours before; test at home what works for you. One coffee is fine for most voices; a triple espresso right before take one is not.
Eat lightly about two hours ahead: too empty feels dizzy, too full presses on the diaphragm. Banana, soup or fruit are studio staples for good reason. Skip ice-cold water just before singing; lukewarm is kinder to the voice.
Warm-up in and around the booth
Loosen shoulders, neck and jaw first. Breathe out slowly on a long «s» or «f». Lip trills or a gentle «ng» siren wake the voice without pushing. Build slowly into the song’s range; do not open with the highest chorus.
Our booth has a pop filter and pro monitoring. Ten to fifteen minutes of warm-up is usually enough. For rap and voice-over, run articulation drills slow, then faster. Ask for a short test take before the «real» passes — that is part of Vocal and speech recording.
Takes, headphone mix and distance
Set your cue mix before you chase emotion. Too loud in the headphones makes you sing quietly; too quiet and you strain. Many vocalists leave one earcup half off for natural feedback; say so and the engineer will balance to limit bleed into the mic.
Keep about one hand’s width between mouth and pop filter, stepping back slightly on loud peaks. Ask for breaks before you are wiped: ten minutes and water beat twenty tired takes. We keep raw sessions for 24 months per agreement; see terms and conditions for delivery and revisions.
Rates and scheduling
Hourly studio time is €95; a four-hour half day is €320. Prices include 21% VAT, engineer and booth. Bookings are confirmed after a 40% deposit; free cancellation up to 7 days before the session.
Need mixing too? After tracking you can send stems for mixing — see file formats for mix so exports are ready. Questions about features or extra voices: email [email protected]; we reply within 2 working days.
Checklist and limits
- Lossless instrumental with BPM and structure.
- Lyrics final, breaths marked.
- Rest, sleep and water in the days before.
- Light meal, no ice-cold drinks right before takes.
- Warm-up, cue mix and steady distance to the microphone.
- Break before the voice gives out.
These are general tips, not medical advice. For persistent hoarseness, pain or loss of voice, see a doctor or speech therapist and reschedule. Minimum age in our studio is 16. To book: get in touch.
